News

Through its partnership with Radon Environmental, the British Columbia Lung Association (BCLA) is providing Radonova’s radon detectors to consumers to offer a fast, efficient, and accurate way to find out if your home, school or workplace has potentially hazardous indoor radon levels. The detectors supplied by the BCLA gives the public the option of choosing either a short or long-term test kit. All test kits provided are recognized by Health Canada and C-NRPP certified. This news follows on from The Lung Association – Ontario also announcing that it would be offering Radonova’s state-of-the-art radon monitors to the general public.

“The air you breathe, regardless of where you live or work, is important to your health. The BC Lung Association is committed to protecting your breathing and that’s why we are excited about being able to offer a variety of radon test kits for the public,” said Christopher Lam, President & CEO of the BC Lung Association.

The two alpha track radon detection devices the BCLA will be making available to the public are Rapidos and Radtrak². Rapidos is a short-term radon measurement test kit that captures a measurement of radon levels over a 10-30 day period. Measurement reports are available from Radonova’s laboratory within 1-2 weeks after the laboratory has received the detectors.

Both accurate and flexible, Rapidos is one of the most effective and flexible ways to measure radon in residential buildings, workplaces and schools.

Radtrak² is Radonova’s flagship long-term radon test kit and tests home’s and workplaces for radon over a sustained period, as encouraged by Health Canada. With ultra-high accuracy over a prolonged period of time, it provides a full and clear perspective on the risk of radon exposure in the tested location.

Radon is an invisible, odourless and tasteless gas that can accumulate to unnaturally high and dangerous levels in homes and workplaces. Young people and children are more vulnerable to radiation as they have higher respiratory rates than adults. However, consumer knowledge on how to detect Radon and meaningfully reduce exposure is still relatively low.

Bill Rounds, President at Radonova, said: “Our work with the various Lung Associations in Canada highlights that the general public and businesses are gradually becoming more aware of the dangers of radon. Radon is a global health problem that is estimated to cause 230,000 cases of lung cancer each year¹. A recent report by the World Health Organization states that radon should be regarded as a carcinogen on a par with tobacco smoke². The technologies we offer ensure customers are receiving a reliable, high quality measurement that will aide in helping individuals make decisions about their home’s indoor air quality. Living with high radon is truly an unnecessary health risk. Elevated radon levels in the home can easily be reduced, but you have to test to know.”

Radon Environmental President & CEO, Alan Whitehead commented: “We’re delighted to have expanded our Radon Testing Device and Service Agreement with the British Columbia Lung Association, to provide our extended range of Radonova short term (Rapidos) and long term (Radtrak²) alpha track radon detection devices. We supply many local health authorities and public testing initiatives across Canada and our partnership with the BCLA will lead to increased public awareness and radon testing in British Columbia. Radtrak² has the largest range of detection of any alpha track device and the Radonova laboratory is the only ISO17025 certified alpha track testing facility of its kind, so our clients can be confident in the lab analysis and its QA process. One of the features that our clients like the most is RadOnline, Radonova’s online customer portal. Through MyPages, customers can easily input measurement data, retrieve reports, and have an overview on every project, in real-time.”

To learn more about radon testing and to purchase a test kit, BC residents can visit here. Short and long-term radon tests include delivery of confidential lab test results.
Radonova is the laboratory of choice for numerous government radon surveys, as well as other public and private sector large scale measurement contracts around the world. A truly global laboratory, Radonova is active in over 50 countries and has performed millions of measurements.

For more information on radon and radon measurement visit click here.
For more information, please contact Bill Rounds, President of Radonova
Phone: +1.331.814.2201, E-mail: bill.rounds@radonova.com

¹ Environmental Health Perspectives, 31 May 2018, https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP2503.
² World Health Organisation, ‘Guidelines on Housing and Health’, 27 November 2018, https://www.who.int/sustainable-development/publications/housing-health-guidelines/en/.

Radonova Laboratories has achieved outstanding results in a preliminary comparative reference test performed by the state-owned PHE (Public Health England). The intercomparison tests were performed at five different radon levels – Radonova participated with two different types of detectors for each exposure. In all ten cases, Radonova’s results differed by less than 4% from the respective reference value.
During the reference test, radon detectors were exposed to different levels of radon. The results are then compared to the official reference values as dictated by PHE. Radonova’s detector Duotrak had a particularly small deviation where three out of five tests deviated by less than one per cent from the reference value.

Demanding test

“For several years, Radonova has regularly been involved in this type of comparative reference test. We are consistently given high marks but are still very pleased by the fact that this is probably our best result so far. It feels particularly good when we are constantly working on developing and refining our radon detectors as well as instruments and measuring methods,” said Radonova Laboratories CEO, Karl Nilsson.
“PHE’s comparative reference test is among the most demanding in the industry. It tests both low and high exposures which places particularly high demands on reliability. We are always looking to offer our customers the highest quality technology and take this as an acknowledgment that we continue to be at the forefront of the market for radon measurements,” comments Bill Rounds, President of Radonova.
The radon detectors were subjected to exposure between 137 – 2180 kBqh/m3. PHE is expected to publish the report towards the end of 2019.

For more information on radon and radon measurements visit www.radonova.com.
For more information, please contact Bill Rounds, President of Radonova
Phone: +1.331.814.2201, E-mail: bill.rounds@radonova.com

Swedish Radonova Laboratories has been commissioned to analyse radon samples in the major Canadian campaign “Evict Radon”. This campaign aims to reduce the incidence of radon in Canadian homes and lung cancer as a consequence of long-term exposure to radon gas. This campaign being conducted in the province of Alberta is headed by Dr Aaron Goodarzi at the University of Calgary.

Radon is measured for at least 90 days and analysed at Radonova’s laboratory. The results will form the basis for continued studies on how radon exposure affects the environment and the health of residents. The project involves doctors, biologists, geologists, architects and experts from a number of other fields. It is estimated that in parts of the province of Alberta, one in six homes is affected by radon. And every day one resident is diagnosed with lung cancer caused by radon.

May become a template for similar projects

“We are naturally proud that such a large and important project has chosen Radonova as its partner for analysis of its radon measurements. At the same time, we know that Radonova is the only operator with global ISO certification. We currently occupy a very prominent position when it comes to radon measurement and analysis. In this role we always want to play an active part in the work of reducing unhealthy exposure to radon. The Evict Radon campaign seems particularly important, as it is comprehensive and well planned. This means in turn that after the campaign has ended it can act as a template for similar projects,” says Karl Nilsson, CEO of Radonova Laboratories.

After smoking, radon is the most common cause of lung cancer. This makes radon a serious global health problem that every year leads to around 230,000 cases of lung cancer.

For further information about the Evict Radon campaign, visit Evict radon

For further information about radon and radon measurement, visit our FAQ

‘Radon maps’ is a term that frequently crops up when talking about the risk of radon. A radon map provides a general picture of the areas where there is a risk of high radon levels. These maps are available at both national and regional level. The problem with radon maps is, however, that they are a very blunt tool for anyone wanting to find out about radon levels in a specific building.

Despite this, Radonova is seeing a growing number of cases where private individuals and workplaces are using radon maps to try to determine the radon level in their specific indoor environment.

“Radon maps are designed to be used when you want a more general geographic breakdown of low-risk and high-risk zones. It is, however, very difficult to draw any reliable conclusions from these about radon levels inside a particular building,” comments Karl Nilsson, CEO of Radonova Laboratories.

“The relevant authorities and experts often have good knowledge of the applications for which radon maps can be used. Problems tend to arise when the general public draw conclusions from the maps about radon levels in their own home.”

This is why radon maps do not show radon levels in a specific building

Below are some of the reasons why radon maps are not a reliable tool for determining radon levels in a specific building.

Radon maps do not show local variations

When producing a radon map, very few measurements are performed per square kilometre. Radon levels can vary significantly in such a large area and also markedly between buildings on the same street. Radon levels indoors largely depend on the building’s construction and the air permeability of the soil, which can vary widely locally.

There is no standard for the production of radon maps

To produce a radon map, measurement data is either obtained by measuring ground radon levels or using data from indoor measurements in the area. With ground radon measurement there is no clear link between the level of radon in the ground and indoor radon levels. There is certainly an increased risk with high ground radon levels, but other factors, such as construction technology, can have a greater impact. However, if the radon map is based on indoor measurements, then the results are therefore heavily dependent on the type of building structure where the measurement was recorded. This in turn need not be relevant in any way for another building close by.

Radon can be emitted by building materials

In a country like Sweden the use of blue lightweight concrete is a clear example of how a building material comes into play when measuring radon levels. In Sweden around 15 per cent of all elevated radon values are caused by blue lightweight concrete. A radon map, however, does not take into account the material used in a building.

The maps can be generated from old measured values

Measured radon levels are to some extent ‘perishable’. A measurement taken 15 years ago, for example, is no longer reliable. A lot may have happened over the years in and around the building in question to change radon levels. Modernisations, changes to ventilation and groundwork are just a few examples of factors that can have a major impact on indoor radon levels. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority recommends performing a new measurement every 10 years.

“With this in mind, you shouldn’t rely on radon maps if you want to know what the radon levels are in a specific building. Even if you live in an area that is defined on the radon map as a low-risk zone, there may still be very high radon levels indoors. Given that radon, after smoking, is the most common cause of lung cancer, there is every reason not to rely on this type of map when trying to determine radon levels in the home and at workplaces,” concludes Karl Nilsson.

Measure in the building

The only way to get a reliable picture of radon levels in indoor air is to measure them. This can be done in an affordable manner using radon detectors. Radon maps still have a role to play, however, as they can provide the authorities with an overview that makes it easier to prioritise inspection efforts.

Radonova’s radon specialist José-Luis Gutiérrez Villanueva is a member of the project committee. He is there as an expert and representative of ERA (the European Radon Association), one of the project’s scientific coordinators (COIRA). Gutiérrez Villanueva is also involved in the work of analysing the data collected.

“Such a comprehensive comparative study means that we can expect to have access to reference tools within a few years.  This will make radon monitoring safer and more effective,” he explains.

COIRA was formed in 2015 and has five member associations: ERA (the European Radon Association), AARST (the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists), CARST (the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists), UKRA (the UK Radon Association) and NGRA (the Nordic Group of Radon Associations).

For more information on the project, visit www.coiraradon.com.

You can read more about Radonova here.

Radonova Laboratories introduces date-marking for the detectors used in radon monitoring. Together with the recently launched vacuum packaging, the date-mark ensures that the monitoring and analysis work can be carried out with the utmost reliability.

Tryggve Rönnqvist, technical manager at Radonova Laboratories, describes the benefits of date-marking the detectors:

“By date-marking each individual pack, we further increase the measurement certainty of short-term monitoring. If radon monitoring is carried out over seven to ten days after the detector has been stored for a year, this could have some effect on the result. Quite simply, it’s more difficult to measure lower concentrations reliably if the monitoring period is short and the storage time is long. Even though we’re talking about small deviations, we always strive to give our customers the most accurate monitoring results possible.”

Easier for stockists and customers with their own stock of detectors

“Above all, data-marketing makes life easier for international stockists and customers who have their own stock of radon detectors. Now they can quickly see how old the detectors are and optimise their warehouse logistics accordingly. Real estate agents are another good example of businesses that benefit from clear date-marking. Monitoring is often fast and frequent in this segment and many agents, therefore, often have their own supply of detectors. With date-marking, we’ve made it easier to use the detectors in the right order.

“Although our monitoring is already at the very forefront of reliability, clear data-marking of each detector and the newly introduced vacuum packaging helps us to offer even simpler, more reliable radon monitoring.

Radonova Laboratories is introducing date-marking on its detectors in November 2018. The newly launched vacuum packaging provides a maximum storage time of eight months. Both for short-term monitoring and three years for long-term monitoring. Radonova also recommends beginning long-term monitoring within 18 months because the measurement uncertainty decreases the sooner monitoring begins.

For further information about radon and radon monitoring, contact us here